Traversing means for high-speed winding



June 5, 1945. E. FLETCHER 2,377,771

f TRAVERSING MEANS FOR HIGH SPEED WINDING Filed April 22 1944 2 Sheets$heet 1 Patented June 5, 1945 2,377,771 TRAVERSING MEANS FOR HIGH- SPEED WINDING Ed 'Fletcher, ewark, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a. corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1944, Serial No. 532,336

12 Claims. (Cl. 242-43) This invention relates generally to apparatus for packaging strands, threads, slivers or the like and refers more particularly to improvements in the equipment employed for winding continuous filamentous material of the above type on a spool or some similar revoluble supporting member.

More specifically. this invention is directed to traversing mechanism which operates on the rotatable disk principle to positively move the strand or other material to be wound in opposite directions lengthwise of the packaging spool. This principle of operation is preferred because it enables obtaining the high rate of traverse required for winding the material on the spool at the maximum rate of speed. The highest possible speed of rotation is especially desired where the spool is employed for attenuating the strands from a supply body of material, as in the case of the production-of glass fibers.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide winding mechanism having in addi-- tion to the aforementioned qualities the feature of controlling the manner in which the material is built up on the spool so that a considerable quantity of material may be packaged onthe spool and subsequently expediently removed or unwound from the latter without tangling or creating ringers.

It has been discovered that a package having a general barrel-shaped appearance lends itself more readily to unwinding and it is, therefore, a further object of this invention to control the traverse of the strand to provide a package of this general configuration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traversing mechanism which is compact in arrangement and capable of operating at a high rate It is another object of the invention to provide a strand traversing mechanism comprising a compact rotary .unit including a pair of coaxially mounted members'adapted for high speed operation to traverse a rapidly moving strand as it is attenuated and wound into a package.

This invention provides traversing mechanism comprising a pair of disks rotatable in opposite directions about a common axis and each disk having strand engaging projections so arranged that the projections on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the projections on the other disk to move the strand in opposite directions lengthwise of the spool.

Still another feature of this invention is to provide traversing mechanism of the general type set forth above wherein the actual extent of the traversing movements efiected by rotation of the disks is substantially less than the length of the spool and wherein the disks are translated alternately in opposite directions lengthwise of the spool during their rotation to-distribute the relatively short traversing movements of the strand over substantially the full length of the spool. This arrangement not only contributes to a package v building up a more uniform package of the desired general barrel-shaped contour but, in addition, enables the use of relatively'small disks to wind a package of substantial length.

A further object of this invention is to support the disks in parallel planes that are inclined with respect-to the plane of the strand which is parallel to the spool axis. This construction enables the pins on the disks to release the strand at the end of each traversing movement and also reduces wear on the pins as it causes the strand to slide along the pins throughout the traversing movement. This feature is especially important in cases where the strand to be wound ,on the spool possesses abrasive characteristics because it prevents the strand from forming grooves in the pins. In other words, the wear is distributed along the full length of the pins and, as a result, the latter may be used over a longer period without replacement.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds especially when considered in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic view illustrating a typical installation of the winding equipment forming the subject-matter of this invention;'

' Figure 2 is a plan view of the winding mechanism shown in Figure l;

. Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the winding mechanism shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. a

The improved winding mechanism forming the small streams of molten glass issue.

subject-matter of this invention is shown in Figure 1 as employed in connection with fiber forming equipment having provision for forming continuous fibers and for collecting the fibers to provide a single strand or sliver which is wound or packaged on a spool. In detail, a supply of molten or viscous material such, for example, as molten glass, is maintained in a container ill provided with a feeder or bushing it having a multiplicity of orifices in the bottom thereof through which The glass streams are rapidly drawn or attenuated into fine fibers or filaments l2 and are accumulated to form a single strand it which is wound on a spool id. The location of the spool is such as to enable the strand id to be readily wound around the outer surface of the spool as the latter is rotated about its axis. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spool i4 is mounted upon a spindle it which, in turn, may be driven at a relatively high speed by an electric motor M.

The strand l3 is-positively moved in opposite directions lengthwise of the spool it by traversing mechanismlfi characterized in that it controls packaging of the strand on the spool in a mannerto impart a general barrel-shaped appearance to the completed package. A package of such configuration enables winding a considerable quantity of material on the spool without the danger of the convolutions of the strand at the extremities of the package slipping off and forming ringers" especially during subsequent unwinding of the strand.

In detail, the traversing mechanism It comprises a pair of disks ll" and I8, respectively,

. mounted in juxtaposition to each other on coaxially supported drive shafts l9 and 20. The disk ll is provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced pins 2! and 22 which project from the outer surface of the disk ll adjacent the periphery of the latter in parallel relation to the axis of rotation thereof. A second pair of pins 23 and 2d similarly project from the outer surface of the disk It in the direction of the axis of rotation of the latter. These pins are positioned on the disk l8 beyond the pins 2i and 22 so as to move in a circular path spaced radially outwardly from the circular path of the latter pins.

As shown particularly in Figure 3, the two pairs of pins are angularly arranged with respect to each other in a manner that the pins on .one

disk engage the strand is in alternation with the pins on the other diskwhen the two disks are rotated in opposite directions to positively move the strand back and forth along the spool axis. It will be noted that the strand 43 must be released from the pins at the ends of the traversing movements of the strand and this is accomplished by inclining the disks at an angle to the plane of strand parallel to the spool axis. The construction is such that during each traversing movement of the strand, the latter slides along one of the pins in a direction toward the free end of the pin and slides oif the pin at the end of its traversing movement. In this manner the strand is not only released at the proper time without resorting to complicated release mechanisms but the abrasive action of the strand on the pins is distributed over the full length of the latter and wear of the pins is reduced to a minimum.

It will also be noted that the diameter of the traversing movements resulting from simpl rotating the disks is considerably shorter than the length of the spool H. The approximate length of the traversing movements of the strand It produced by rotating the disks in opposite directions is indicated in Figure 3 by the reference character 25 and is,'of course, insufficient to distribute the package over the entire length of the spool. For this reason provision is made for imparting reciprocating or oscillating movement to the disks in the direction of the spool axis in such timed relation to rotation of the disks that the traversing movements of the strand are distributed throughoutla distance approximating the length of the spool it. As a result, a uniform package is obtained having the general contour represented in Figure 3 and capable of being readily unwound when desired without the danger of the strand forming ringers or otherwise becoming tangled or snarled.

The disks are rotated in opposite directions by an electric motor 26 mounted on a platform or slide 21 and having a bevel gear 28 secured tothe drive shaft thereof. The bevel gear 28 meshes with a pair of bevel pinions 29 respectively secured to the shafts l9 and 20 within a casting 26a mounted at one end of the motor 26. The shaft 20 is in the form of a tube for rotatably supporting one end of the inner shaft l9 and is, in turn, journaled in a bearing 30 formed in the casting 25a. The inner shaft i9 is somewhat longer than the tubular shaft 20 and is rotatably supported at its other end in a bearing block 3! also forming a part of the casting. The casting 26a may be adjustably mounted so that it can be rotated about the axisof the gear 28 to vary the angle of the disks l1 and ill with respect to the traversing plane of the strand l3 and thus adjust the point at which the pins carried by the disks engage and release the strand.

The platform 21 on which the mechanism is supported is mounted for movement parallel to the spool axis on grooved rollers 33 running onrails E l secured to the winder base'. This permits the traversing of the strand l3 along the length of the spool to provide a package of the desired length. as will be brought out more clearly presently.

Motion is imparted to the platform 21 by means of mechanism including a grooved cam 35 rotatably supported on a shaft 36 which is journaled of the spool IE and that the actual length of the in bearings 31 mounted on the underneath side of the platform (Figures 1 and 2) and a stationary cam'follower 38 secured to the winder base. The cam and shaft are rotated by means of a belt to and pulley ll mounted on the shaft 36 and connected with speed reduction gearing 52 carried by the motor 26 and driven thereby. It will be noted that operation of the motor to drive the strand traversing disks also causes rotation of the cam at a reduced speed and the motion transmitted thereby serves to reciprocate the platform and the mechanism carried thereby along the spool.

The above construction enables the traversing disks to be simultaneously rotated and moved lengthwise of the spool to uniformly distribute the relatively short traversing movements over substantially the full length of the spool in a manner to provide the generally barrel-shaped package shown in Figure 3. A stated above, a package having this general configuration possesses definite advantages in that it facilitates subsequent unwinding of the package.

Referring now more in detail to the operation I shaped configuration.

of the traversing mechanism IE, it will be noted from Figure 3 of the drawings that the disk I1 is rotatable in the direction of the arrow A and that the disk I 8 is rotatable in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow B. In the relative "positions of the two disks shown in the above As the strand I3 reaches the end of its travers-.

ing movement under the influence of the pin 23 on the disk I 8, the pin 22 on the disk I! is advanced to a position wherein it engages the strand and again reverses the direction of movement of the strand as soon as the latter is released by the pin'23. The following or return movement of the strand is effected by the pin 24 on the disk I8 and the above procedure is repeated until the required amount of material is wound on the spool.

It is clear from the above that the actual extent of the traversing movements of the strand.

effected by rotationof the disks is relatively short as comparedto the length of the spool l4.

Accordingly, the disks are reciprocated back and forth along the spool I4 during rotation of the disks to distribute the relatively short traverse of the strand over substantially the .full length of the spool. The reciprocation of the disks is effected by the rotatable cam 35 and enables building up the package to the desired barrel- As a modification of the present invention, the disks l1 and I8 (Figure 3) may be provided with only one pin eachas, for instance, pin 22 on disk I! and pin 23 on disk. It will be noted that by this arrangement the strand is traversed a greater distance along the package which may correspond to approximately 180 degrees of rotation of the disks. Consequently, a greater number of pins on each disk correspondingly reduces the length of the traversing movement. The movement of the strand along the package, when a single pin on each disk is used, slows down as the pins approach a plane horizontal with the disk axis so that the lag of th strand tends to produce substantially parallel winds. This objection is overcome by the reciprocation of the traversing mechanism.

In order to obtain the proper relation between the pins and the strand when each disk carries only one pin the angle between the disks and the strand must be reduced to a degree less than that shown in Figure 1, This is necessitated since the alternate points of engagement and release of the strand by the pins occur at substanitally diametrically opposed locations as compared to the 90 degree relation shown in Figure 3.

Various modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope I claim: 1. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable of the appended claims.

I spool, means'for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound'thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair of disks supported substantially in a. unitary plane inclined to the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, mean for rotating the disks in oppositedirections, and strand engaging projections on each disk extending lnto'the path of the strand as the. latter is fed to the spool and so arranged that the projections on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the projections on the other disk to move the strand back and forth along the spool while being wound thereon, the angular relation of the disks and plane aforesaid of the strand being predetermined to insure release of the strand from the projections at the ends of the traversing movements of the strand.

2. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair of disks supported substantially in a unitary plane, means for rotating the disks about a common axis in opposite directions, a pair of circumferentially spaced projections on one disk intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis and engageable with thestrand, a pair of similar strand engaging projections on the other disk having a circular path of travel somewhat smaller than the path of travel of the projections on the first named disk and cooperating with the latter projections to alternately move the strand in opposite directions lengthwis of the spool.

3. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks, means for rotating the disks about a, common axis in opposite directions, strand engaging projections on each disk extending into the path of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool and so arranged that the projections on one disk engage the strand in alteration with the projections on the other disk to move the strand back and forth along the spool throughout a distance substantially less than the'length of the spool, and means for moving the disks in opposite directions along the length of the spool to distribute the aforesaid traversing movements of the strand over substantially the full length of the spool.

4. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks supported substantially in a unitary plane inclined to the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis,

means for rotating the disks about a common mined to insure release of the strand from the projections at the ends of the traversing movements of the strand, and means for moving the disks in opposite directions along the length of the spool during rotation of said disks to distribthe strand along the length of the spool.

5. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair of disks supported for rotation about a common axis, means for rotating the disks in opposite directions about the common axis aforesaid thereof, strand engaging members projecting from each disk substantially parallel to the axis oirotatlon of the members on one disk being arranged to move in a circular path inside the path of the members of the other disk and to engage the strand in alternation with the latter members to move the strand in opposite directions along the length of the spool.

6. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks rotatable about a common axis, means for rotating the disks in opposite directions about the common axis aforesaid, strand engaging members projecting from each disk substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the disks and intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, the strand engaging members on one disk being arranged to move in a circular path inside the path of the members on the other disk and to engage the strand in alternation with the latter members to move the strand in opposite directions lengthwise of the spool, and means supporting the disks in a plane inclined to the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at such an angle to insure release of the strand from the members at the end of each traversing movement of the strand.

7. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing'it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks rotatable about a common axis, means for rotating the disks in o posite directions about the common axis aforesaid, strand engaging members projecting from each disk substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the disks and intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, the strand engaging members on one disk being arranged to move in a circular path inside the path of the members on the other disk and to engage the strand in alternation with the latter members to move the strand in opposite directions along the spool throughout a distance substantially less than the length of the spool, and means for moving the disks in opposite directions along the spool during rotation of the disks to distribute the traversing movements of the strand over substantially the full length of the spool.

8. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mech-- anism including a pair of disks rotatable about a common axis, means for rotating the disks in opposite directions about the common axis aforesaid, strand engaging members projecting fromv each disk substantially parallel to the axi of rotation of the disks and intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, the strand engaging members on one disk being arranged to move in a circular path inside the path of the members on the other disk and to engage the strand in alternation with the latter members to move the strand in oppostie directions along the spool throughout a distance substantially less than the length of the spool, means for moving the disks in oppositedirections along the spool during rotation of the disks to distribute the traversing movements of the strand over substantially the full length of the spool, and means supporting the disks in a plane inclined to the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at such an angle to insure release of th strand from the members at the end of each traversing movement of the strand.

9. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks, means for rotating the disk about a common axis in opposite directions, strand engaging projections on each disk extending into the path of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool and so arranged that the projections on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the projections on the other disk to move the strand back and forth along the spool throughout a distance substantially less than the length of the spool, a support for the disks mounted to enable movement of the disks lengthwise of the spool, and means for moving the support in opposite directions in timed relation tov rotation of the disks to extend the traversing movements of the strand along substantially the full length of the spool.

10. Winding mechanism comprising a rotatable spool, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism including a pair of disks, a support for the disks mounted to enable moving the disks lengthwise of the spool, means carried by the disk support for rotating the disks in opposite directions, strand engaging projections on each disk extending into the path of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool and so arranged that the projections on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the projections on the other disk to move the strand back and forth along the spool throughout a distance substantially less than the length of the spool, and means for reciprocating the support in opposite directions along the spool during rotation of said disks to distribute the traversing movements of the strand along substantially the full length of the spool.

' 11. Inca winding mechanism, including a rotatable spool adapted to receive and winda strand thereon, traversing mechanism comprising coaxially mounted strand engaging elements rotatable in opposite directions for alternately moving the strand back and forth along the spool as it is woundinto a package, and means for indexing said mechanism along the length of the spool to relatively space the traversed convolutions of the strand thereon.

12. In a winding mechanism, including a rotatable spool adapted to receive and wind a strand thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair of coaxially mounted rotatable elements, each having a pair of strand engaging fingers thereon, means for rotating said elements in opposite directions to traverse the strand back and forth and form a package on the spool, the plane of rotation of said elements lying substantially at an angle to a plane passing longi- .tudinlly through said strand, and means for indexing said mechanism longitudinally of said spool.

' ED FLETCHER. 

